Hi Daffnetters ,
We are now into November, the last month of spring. It,s Just after 10 pm ‘here — I switched the computer
on and, knowing it takes a few mimutes to warm up, I dashed outside to turn off the sprinkler that has
been soaking my trays of daff seedlings. We have not had rain for about 10 ( warm ) days; the bulbs
are drying off and the tops on the very early cutflowers are going down. Not unexpected as it is November.
I’ve been following the late flowering and Cape Point exchange with interest; as a cutflower grower (as well as a keen hybridiser and exhibitor), it is usually on either end of the season that flower prices are at their highest and well worth chasing.
It has been a very different season than usual in our area, which is well favoured as an early vegetable – (and flower) production area. We seldom get the extremes that the growing areas can experience .. It was a good market season as we started early and finished very late. The market men tell us that the volume of daffs they sell each season does not vary a great idea. What makes a difference is whether they sell them in a 12 week or up to a 16 week season.
Spring 2009 was a very early season — it was the first season for over a decade that I did not market any daffs at all in October. June was an all time record cold month. August was the warmest for 60 years. This season my last consignment was on Friday 8 October — to me quite a worthwhile extension.
Checking the market flower and price reports on our computer – grower site, I was very surprised to note that the last date for sales in Wellington — my local market — was on Friday 22 Oct — Kiwis will note that this is the Friday before the long abour weekend. The grower received very firm prices.
The Auckland daff market had finished the day I finished (15 th), Christchurch (South Island ) lasted until Wednesday 27 October. Understandably they are always later than the North Island.
Curiosity was killing the cat; I rang my Wgtn market manager and asked ? ? ? who, what, from where? He gave what details he was permitted to do — the flowers were grown in Kimbolton, a very elevated and hence cold and late area and were a late season, older Richardson double.
As he is only a 2 year flower trade manager, I asked if the other auctioneer, a 30year veteran, could remember a later season ;; he could not. W H Y ? ?
I do not grow the Beautiful Cape Point, but top Grower John Hollever grows it very well, next to my commercial block. I had not been up there for over a week — so went looking for late flowers.
Photo of three small lines of Cape Point — taken Saturday 30 October. Most just past their best but 2 opening buds were spotted — good for another week. Also in another block were good blooms of Jake and Armidale — both just past their best.
I support Graham Phillips theory on the need for a good, cold winter chill but is there a consistent pattern. Is it only on the extremes that we notice these differences. Probably so, a very early season followed by a very late season will exaggerate the difference.
Spring 09 — record cold June — big chill . Record warm August — mad rush and early finish.
Spring 2010. No heavy frosts, no solid chill, only average August temperatures. Almost double September rainfall in our area and also most North Island areas. Soil temperatures stayed low — wet well into October — ask your local silage contractor — still running 2 weeks late here. The soil temperature is not often mentioned in these discussions, — very few growers record it, – but tome it plays an equally important part as air temperatures.
Are you still confused?
Hope my ramblings add something to the discussion — but these questions seldom have a black and white solution.
Dave Adams — is this as noticeable in the colder South? I’m not very familiar with your dates.
Would guess that you always have a good solid winter chill — possibly some sheltered areas have perma frost for short periods — almost unknown in N I growing areas except for Ohakune carrots.
Brian — a very big thanks for these beautiful late flowers — we are not complaining about their lateness but are looking for an explanation to a very late finish to our season.
Cape Point — down by the horn — Who can remember that great British radio comedy
” Around the Horn ” — Kenneth Williams I think — use to enjoy their clever use of the English
language — must be getting Old.
Cheers John .